Позитивные изменения. Том 2, №4 (2022). Positive changes. Volume 2, Issue 4 (2022)

Guzel regularly uses unconventional moves in her crowdsourcing campaigns. For example, she delivered pre-orders on her own to all the supporters of her first project — the entrepreneur knew she wanted to build long-term relationships with her audience, which meant it was important to look into the eyes of the people who believed in her in the first place. As a result, 30 % of the participants continue to support “Small Turysh” from one project to another. In her fifth campaign, Guzel negotiated for Chaif rock band to have a concert at the site of the future community center. Invitations to the event were distributed through a crowdfunding campaign, and people from all over the country came to the concert. In another project, dedicated to purchasing construction materials for the center building, one could donate timber through the crowdsourcing campaign, and Guzel would send a thank-you video note as a token of appreciation.

Guzel Sanzhapova recorded a master class on “How to Create Projects that Will Make People to Fall in Love with Your Business” for the Planeta.ru video lecture series. It is available for free at https://school.planeta.ru/crowdproducers

A NORMAL PLACE ON THE BAY SHORE

The Normal Place opened in May 2022 next door to (and supported by) Sevkabel Port, a public space in St. Petersburg. The motto of The Normal Place is “Just for Everyone.” This cluster of charity, conscious consumption, culture and creativity has several founders: the “Simple Things” inclusive workshops, “Yes” animation studios, “Perspectives”, the “Cucumbers” inclusive cafe (which incidentally was also opened thanks to crowdfunding) and “Thank You” chain of thrift stores. Renovating the two-story cluster, installing the necessary equipment, laying communications, and making the space inclusive and pleasant for the city residents and guests is not an inexpensive task. The Normal Place visionaries launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover part of the repair costs and to test the idea for relevance. But because of the lengthy approval process, the campaign had to be launched against all the “rules” of crowdfunding and common sense — on Friday night, when territorial development is probably the last thing on the people's mind. Nevertheless, by Monday the progress was one third into the one million requested, which was the best testament to the people needing a place like this.

It is not accidental that crowdfunding is called the most honest voting — here people vote with their money, which is harder than hitting the “like” or “repost” buttons in social networks. It is harder, but it is also much more convincing: thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign (nearly a million and a half rubles raised by 704 supporters), the founders of the Normal Place found business partners and gathered like-minded people in their project.

More than 2,500 guests attended the opening. The founders point out that their crowdfunding campaign became a “movie series” that people liked to watch live. Of course, many were interested in coming and looking at the result, and at the same time — to find their name on the Supporters' Wall of Fame, where one could “buy” a place by contributing to the project.

IT IS OK TO LIVE IN SMOLENSK

The “Environment” team of activists in this city came up with a hashtag #oktoliveinsmolensk. For four years now, they have been proving this joking expression true by filling the city with cultural, entertaining, and educational events. In mid-November, the team opened “Environment. Center” in a historical downtown building. It is a public space complete with a lecture hall, a co-working space, a mini-cinema, a cafe, a design studio, a creative workshop, a booth with books and city memorabilia. The creators raised 438,000 rubles for construction materials and equipment through crowdfunding. They approached their project creatively and did some outstanding work with the partners prior to the launch, making their campaign a scatter of vivid and distinctive lots related to Smolensk.

Notably, a year ago Denis Nikitas, founder of another creative space in Smolensk, The Staff, raised funds on Planeta.ru to open an independent bookstore. And another year earlier, a local tourist company, To The Lakes, used crowdfunding to renovate the bike park and buy an electric boat motor for water tours.

Well, it really is OK to live in Smolensk, what with all the active citizens coming up with so many things to make the city an even more exciting place and to unite the community of people who care.

DEVELOPING THE CITY THROUGH MERCHANDIZE